


Heart, Hope, and Humanity

by Sagittae



Series: The BAU's AUs [2]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alchemy, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Gen, No Romance, Team Bonding, Team as Family, teamfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-26 00:36:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7553407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sagittae/pseuds/Sagittae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Behavioral Analysis Unit is used to the grind of catching criminals and psychopaths. However, one UNSUB opens up the doors to other suspicious activity, leading the team on a trail of uncertainty and revelation. And the secrets that are uncovered may just put them in the cross hairs of some of the country's most dangerous alchemists.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heart, Hope, and Humanity

**Author's Note:**

> This is may be one of the strangest AUs I've ever done. If any of you have heard/watched Fullmetal Alchemist, that is what this fic is based on. There may be a few definitions towards the end of the chapters to help guide any confusion and I completely understand!This is a VERY outlandish idea, but it wouldn't stop bugging me! Hopefully you can enjoy it for what it's worth, haha.
> 
> I know that not much happens this chapter, but I felt like introducing some of the background would make things a bit easier to chew instead of just jumping right in. There is the short flash forward towards the beginning of the chapter, but other then that, this is just meant to establish the connection between both universes and to help build the world a bit. 
> 
> Surprisingly, I found myself writing as Hotch for this one. With team ensemble fics, I usually prefer to write in different POVs, but we'll see what happens. This chapter we see a hint of Morgan's abilities, but as the story progresses, I hope to delve into each character's alchemy more. 
> 
> Thanks for giving it a shot and I hope you enjoy!

_Heavy feet pounded against the dirt floor of the forest, leaving a long and muddy trail of footprints behind him. He knew he wouldn’t be able to keep it up forever. His legs were aching and the stupid feds were right on his ass. However, he felt like he could take on a few mindless agents, especially with the red stone that was glowing in his right palm. Another surge of adrenaline and power flowed through his veins and his senses became heightened. A sinister grin tugged at the corners of his lips as he turned around and pressed his palms to the ground, causing the symbol on his ring to glimmer._

_Suddenly, the rain that was pouring around him gathered together, as if being collected in the sky, and they turned into large icicles, hailing towards the earth. Most of them were aimed straight for the light sources chasing him. Without checking to see if his attack had the intended effect, he dashed off into the night once again._

* * *

 

A growl of frustration left his lips as Aaron was forced to stop in his tracks as giant chunks of ice began to fall from the sky. Even with the rain and darkness hindering his vision, he could see Williams fleeing form off in the distance under the dim glow of their flashlights. “Morgan!” Hotch called over the howl of the wind and the rest of the team clustered together quickly.

Derek Morgan, otherwise known as the Stronghold Alchemist, threw a tag on the ground and dropped on one knee before throwing his hands to the floor. There was no tremor at all as a giant wall of concrete abruptly sprung up from the dirt and arched over the four of them, covering them from the falling projectiles. The sound of ice crashing against the surface of the structure was the only thing that managed to penetrate the loud roar of the storm.

“We’re not getting anywhere in this rain!” Prentiss said from beside him. “He knows these woods like the back of his hand; we don’t. This down pour will wipe us out before he does.”

Morgan stood and turned off his flashlight, “She’s right. This is his turf and his element.”

Aaron looked on passed the trees, grinding his teeth and willing his eyes to see beyond the fog and darkness of the night. He shined his flashlight further on, but even then, there was no sign of their unsub.

“His Chi is fading. He’s gone, Aaron,” Rossi interjected with a hint of disappointment in his voice. Hell, Aaron was disappointed, too. After a week of tracking the same criminal, the moment they nearly catch him has to be ruined by a thunderstorm.

It almost pains him when he says, “Let’s head back to the station. We’ll try again tomorrow morning. He can’t have gotten far with this weather, alchemist or not,” Aaron sighs as he switches his flashlight off and pushes his soggy bangs off of his forehead. They would just have to wait until the next day.

Another day where a killer – a rogue alchemist – was able to run free.

* * *

 

_One week earlier._

Aaron Hotchner, Supervisory Special Agent in Charge and Unit Chief of the BAU, walked into the FBI headquarters bright and early that Monday morning. After flashing his badge to the security at the front gate, he made his way to the smaller, west-wing building, where the Behavioral Analysis Unit and its teams set up shop. He swiped his keycard into the slot, punched in his four-digit code and walked down the hall and towards the bullpen in his neatly pressed suit and his briefcase in hand.

It had been over fifteen years since he started working for the Bureau and only ten since he had become a State Alchemist. In fact, he had been the first alchemist to be in the BAU ever since Jason Gideon was part of the unit. But really, alchemy just seemed to run through the long and extensive history of the BAU. After the original team retired, Aaron was slowly promoted to Unit Chief, restarting the science and tradition. Whether he influenced the other alchemists to join was something he would always wonder.

Morgan joined not too long after he had held his senior position. Then Reid showed up, seemingly barely out of his diaper days compared to Jason Gideon, who decided to reenter the fray. Elle had been working to get instated as a S.A. but she had left before she got the chance. Barely months after Elle quit, Emily Prentiss had replaced her – another alchemist. JJ and Garcia weren’t interested in the study, but soon, even JJ was beginning to develop her own and art and research.

Some thought it was a bit concerning that there were so many alchemists focused in one area of the Bureau when there was only roughly three hundred, not including those who were retired, registered in all of the United States. However, the Bureau’s Council couldn’t have been happier, as there was a total of twenty-eight alchemists in the FBI, including him and his team. Many people liked to call them the Behavioral Alchemist Unit, much to his amusement. It had only become a small problem after Prentiss had first joined the team. In fact, Aaron had been there when Prentiss had made her intentions clear.

“We’re _people_ , not weapons,” she had told Erin Strauss, the Section Leader, and more importantly, both of their superiors. The woman had pulled them both aside for a private discussion to try to convince Prentiss to transferring out of the unit to even out the amount of alchemists in the government. “With all due respect, ma’am, I am not an accessory the Bureau can place wherever it wants. I applied to be in the BAU and now that I’m here, I think I’m going to stay… _Ma’am_.”

He had gotten a bit of backlash from Prentiss’ ‘sass and insubordination’, but the event had only lead to him gaining more respect for her. She was a good agent and Aaron would have been sad to see her go. And for a while, Strauss had reluctantly accepted this impasse. However, when Rossi decided to step out of retirement and back into the BAU, he had gotten the same song and dance, and he was also just as against leaving as Prentiss was.

“Technically, I’m not even an alchemist,” Dave told Strauss with a shrug.

Aaron remembered her unimpressed glare throughout the entire conversation. She had been rather irritated by the older man.

The Section Chief narrowed her eyes, “You use alchemy, don’t you?”

“ _Alkahestry_ , not alchemy. There’s a difference,” the older man said pointedly. “And I believe the BAU only has one Alkahest, as of now.”

The woman threw up her hands in exasperation. “You win, Agent Hotchner! Take them.”

And he did. For the past seven years, he has never once regretted it.

After years of working together day in and day out, they were a well-oiled machine. Yes, they had their ups and downs, but everything they did, they did as one unit – a family. Aaron didn’t know what he would have done without the support of his team after Haley’s death. He often found himself remembering the days when a pair from the team would drop by with dinner for him and Jack, or when the whole group would organize barbeques almost every month so he and his son wouldn’t be so alone.

And now, after everything they had gone through, there was little that Aaron Hotchner would not do for his team.

* * *

 

 

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, and lazy days generally translated into paperwork days. JJ, Dave, and Morgan were in their offices, while Prentiss and Reid were working in the bullpen, chatting to one another casually over their case reports. It was just past noon when Aaron slipped down into the kitchenette and made himself another cup of coffee for the second half of the day. He also used this moment to take a small break from the signing and filing that ultimately came with his position. He sipped his coffee slowly, watching in slight amusement as Prentiss fired a rubberband into the air and watched as it landed in Reid's half-filled mug.

It was these small little acts that put Aaron more at ease. As the Unit Chief, he had long ago taken checking on the well-being of all the members of his team. By no means did he ever intend to be nosy or overstep any lines, as he was quite a private person himself. But after years of working together, they had all profiled a bit about each other, even against their unspoken rule not to. It was the reason why he knew Rossi preferred the seats over the couch on the plane because it was better on his back. It was the reason why he knew Prentiss never used retractable pens because she would often find herself clicking the pen absently. It was the reason why he knew Reid kept a letter from his mother with him wherever he went in case he needed to remind himself that she was still there.

He knew that it had been there was a bittersweet feeling when Morgan had moved from the bullpen, leaving the two other agents alone. At first, he was worried that their friend's departure, albeit to a different area of the same building, might have a negative effect on Prentiss and Reid. However, as he watched them now, both laughing and joking with one another, he knew it was a concern that didn't need to be worried about.

After taking another gulp of his coffee, he was about to grab his briefcase and back head to his office when JJ rushed into the bullpen with a phone being held between her shoulder and her cheek as she furiously scribbled notes on a coupon for Chinese food. “Yes, Officer Heinz, I understand. We’ll be on the way as soon as we can. Thank you.”

Prentiss shot him a curious look and he waited apprehensively as the blonde made her way towards them. “We’ve got a case in Oregon. The Director, himself, even wants us to take it,” she explained, appearing slightly frazzled.

Aaron frowned. If the Director was getting involved, that meant only one thing…

A loud ringing came from his pocket and he wasn’t surprised to see Strauss’ name on the display. It was only a matter of time before the higher up went to confront him personally on the case if, especially since it was pushed up to top priority. “JJ, get the others here as soon as you can and tell them wheels up immediately. We can get briefed on the plane,” Aaron told the media liaison quickly. “Ma’am,” he answered, and he nodded to both JJ before he began to move to his office, abandoning his coffee so that his other hand could grab his bag.

“ _Agent Hotchner,_ ” Strauss’ voice addressed from across the line. “ _I assume Agent Jareau has informed you of the situation at hand?”_

“Not officially; she told me that it was incredibly urgent. My team and I are getting ready to depart now.”

“ _The Director has asked for your team personally.”_

Aaron entered his office and pulled his go-bag from under his desk. “Agent Jareau mentioned that, yes.”

The Section Chief’s tone was stiff and even sounded to be a bit concerned as she said, “ _Then you know how important this case is and the intensity of the situation. The only reason the Director would get involved with the BAU, particularly your team, would be if something questionable has happened during an investigation, or –.”_

“If the unsub is an alchemist,” he finished for her. “I understand how serious this is, Ma’am, but let it be known now that my team cannot work under duress from the press, especially not after ’09.”

George Foyet had been one of the BAU’s toughest, and longest, cases. Not only had he been an extremely sophisticated serial killer, but he was also a very skilled alchemist that they had never prepared for. There was large amount of stress on the team, and a lot of stress on himself, for a while. It had taken a long time for everyone to recover from that, physically and mentally. It had only been two years since Haley’s death and sometimes Aaron still felt twinges of pain from the scars left from Foyet’s alchemy.

A sigh could be heard from her end, “ _I will do my best to keep the media out of your hair on this side, but you will have to handle the local press in Oregon._ ”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“ _And Agent Hotchner?”_

“Yes?”

“ _Watch out for your team on this one. I looked over the man who they believe to be the Unsub and I can understand why they have asked for your help so soon, even if it is an alchemist. And I know there will be some opposed to your involvement in the case given the circumstances…”_ At these words, Aaron felt a surge of respect for the woman he was speaking to. He and Strauss may not see eye to eye on most occasions, but he knew that they were more alike than he would like to admit. Behind the cold, professional exterior that she put up, she genuinely cared for her agents.

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“ _Good. The files are being sent your way as we speak. I wish you and your team luck, Agent Hotchner.”_

* * *

 

“JJ, do you want to start us on the briefing?” Aaron asked as he took the empty seat next to Rossi. Now that the team was gathered, they were all seated in a tight cluster at the center of the jet.

She nodded, “Sure.” Then she brought her tablet and motioned for everyone else to do the same. “This is who the police believe is our Unsub. James Wilder, age fifty-one, and he used to be a bar owner before his business was shut down and he went to jail for possession of drugs and human experimentation. Not only that but he was an unregistered alchemist.”

“Whoa, hold on – _human experimentation_? The kind of stuff that got Tucker locked up over ten years ago?” Morgan questioned with his brows furrowed.

“Exactly the same,” JJ confirmed grimly.

Aaron remembered that case vividly, as it was one of the first he had ever worked as a State Alchemist. The man had been dumping his failed experiments into the Great Salt Lake in Utah. It wasn’t long before they found Tucker in his basement with another live victim trying to create a chimera as an unregistered alchemist. He had been in prison ever since.

“How the hell did he get out?” Prentiss inquired with wide eyes.

“Turns out Tucker wasn’t the first to start experimentation. Wilder was confined in ’82 and he was put on parole five days ago now that he’s been diagnosed with Huntington’s disease,” JJ answered. “But because of this, he’s killed a man and has kidnapped two people within the last five days, starting on the second day of parole.”

“A person for each day,” Rossi noted.

“Any word on where the two missing went?” Aaron asked.

The blonde shook her head, “They’ve only found the first body. The other two haven’t shown up yet, but judging by the lack of blood at the last two crime scenes, they think he has them alive somewhere.”

Reid interjected, “He’s devolving too quickly for someone who was so organized in the past.”

“Well, that was also before he realized that he has a life-altering disease that will keep him from ever killing again,” Prentiss said with a sigh.

“What, he just decides that he’s gonna get all those urges out while he can?” Morgan put the idea out there, but then alters his words. “No, he’s a time bomb. He knows he’s going to get caught again, and this time he’s taking people down with him.”

Aaron wrapped everything up, “So we’ve got an Unsub who’s skilled in alchemy, is on the loose in a psychotic break, and has nothing to lose.” The team went quiet at the realization of how poor the odds were against them. He didn’t allow the silence to last for long.

“Reid, I want you working victimology at the station. We need to know how he’s choosing these people and why. He’s obviously still got some reasoning that he’s going by or else the crimes wouldn’t be so spaced out. He’s got an endgame. JJ, whenever you’re not dealing with the press, I’d like you to help him. Morgan, Prentiss, you go to the last crime scene and see if you can spot anything that he might have left behind. Rossi and I will head over to the morgue to see what we have to watch out for with Wilder and how he likes to use his alchemy,” he finished and his team all gave him respective nods.

**Author's Note:**

> Alchemy - The transformation of matter through the process of comprehension, deconstruction and reconstruction. This also follows the principle of Equivalant Exchange, which means that In order to gain, something of equal value must be lost in return. There are many forms of alchemy. While most transmute by way of the Four Classical Elements (Water, Earth, Fire and Air), some others transmute by way of the Three Essential Principles (salt, sulfur and mercury).
> 
> Alkahestry - Differs from Alchemy in the sense that instead of the primary focus being matter, Alkahests use the universal 'Chi' of things to perform transmutations. Mainly used for medical purposes.
> 
> S.A. - State Alchemist
> 
> Transmutation - the action of changing or the state of being changed into another form.


End file.
